Joiner Workshirts
Made in Cincinnati
Order by July 22
Place your order for a shirt by July 22 for Fall 2026 delivery.
Years in the making, this Cincinnati-stitched workshirt is the first piece in our new line of apparel, which we call Joiner.
These middleweight shirts are designed for working at the bench and in the machine room. They hold your small and necessary tools in two roomy pockets that open from the side instead of the top. This style of pocket was used in 1930s-1940s work shirts designed for the Civilian Construction Corps and various branches of the armed forces.
These pockets prevent your tools from falling out when you lean over the workbench or a machine. And they don't collect dust and shavings like the kangaroo-style pockets in a traditional apron.
There's also a smaller third pocket that opens from the top, handy for clipping mechanical pencils and rulers.
And despite all this utility, the Joiner Workshirt doesn't look like a piece of technical gear from a nuclear reactor construction site. Brush the shavings off, and it's tailored enough to wear out to dinner.
We offer two versions: A blue shirt in 9-ounce, US-woven, 100% cotton twill. And a limited-edition tan shirt in 8.5-ounce, 80% cotton/20% linen twill, woven in Japan by the famous Nihon Menpu mill.
In order to reduce waste and keep the price as reasonable as possible, we are selling these shirts made-to-order. From now until July 22, you can order the size and color you prefer. After ordering closes, Sew Valley will take over and make the shirts that everyone ordered (plus a few extra in each size to accommodate exchanges).
Selling the Joiner Workshirt this way ensures that every customer gets what they want, and we don't end up with a huge pile of shirts in the wrong size and color because we didn't guess correctly what colors and sizes would sell.
We plan to offer this shirt again in other fabrics – plus new designs – using the same model. We ask in advance for your patience with us during this new venture. We are going to make mistakes. There will be delays. But we know you will be happy with the result.
Sizing Information (Please read this with care)
In order to get the best size, please read the following information carefully. There will be only a limited number of shirts available for exchanges, so a little care during ordering will save everyone time and money. See the dimensions on the sizing image (below), and compare carefully to an overshirt you already own.
Note that Christoper Schwarz is 6'3" and just under 200 lbs. He is wearing a size large sample in the photos. It fits him just fine, but he prefers to have a little more room in shirts for layering. So he will order an XL for himself.
The shirts have all been pre-washed, so they won't shrink much, if at all. We recommend machine-washing cold and hanging to dry.
About the Design & Manufacturing
Tom Bonamici, our clothing designer, sought to produce a durable, useful and normal-looking workshirt. He loved historic examples with these side-entry pockets, and just tweaked the fit, fabric and finishing details. All main seams are overlocked and double top-stitched, buttons are durable polyester, double-sewn (sadly, all-natural button materials deteriorate in the wash), and fabrics were chosen to be comfortable, tough and well-aging.
The shirts are sewn by Sew Valley, right over the river from us in Cincinnati. They're a zero-waste garment factory & non-profit, dedicated to ethical labor practices and helping small businesses succeed. We are proud to have worked with Sew Valley for eight years, and it's always a delight to drive 15 minutes to pick up our orders. It would be a lot cheaper to have these made overseas, but we wouldn't get to support our neighbors!